Natural occurrence of insect pathogenic fungi and insect parasitic nematodes in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diabrotica virgifera virgifera</Emphasis> populations |
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Authors: | Christina Pilz Rudolf Wegensteiner Siegfried Keller |
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Institution: | 1.Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Forest Entomology, Forest Pathology and Forest Protection,BOKU-University,Vienna,Austria;2.Agroscope Reckenholz-T?nikon ART,Zurich,Switzerland |
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Abstract: | The Western Corn Rootworm D. virgifera virgifera Le Conte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a serious pest of maize, has been recently introduced into Europe. Several approaches
for its control are presently under investigation including microbial agents. In order to get information on the role of naturally
occurring pathogens in the regulation of Diabrotica populations, we started an investigation in established populations in Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Austria, and Italy in 2005
and 2006. In infested maize fields in Hungary, plants and their root systems were grubbed out and larvae and pupae were collected.
Adult D. v. virgifera were collected in Hungary, Austria, Romania, Serbia and Italy. Additionally, the occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi in
soils of maize fields was determined using Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor larvae as bait insects. The density of entomopathogenic fungi was obtained by plating soil suspension on selective medium.
Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria spp. infections were found in 1.4% of field collected larvae, 0.2% of field collected pupae and 0.05% of field collected
adults. Whereas natural infections of D. v. virgifera were rarely found, a high density of insect pathogenic fungi was recorded in Hungarian soils. M. anisopliae could be detected in every maize field either using the “bait method” or a “selective medium” method. This is the first report
of a natural occurrence of entomoparasitic nematodes (Heterorhabditis sp., Steinernema sp.) in Diabrotica v. virgifera in Europe. |
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Keywords: | Chrysomelidae Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Entomopathogenic fungi Entomoparasitic nematodes Metarhizium anisopliae Beauveria spp Heterorhabditis sp Western corn root worm |
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